Mauritius mops up after storm Belal battering
Port Louis – Mauritius was yesterday assessing the damage wrought by tropical cyclone Belal as it rolled away from the Indian Ocean island nation, allowing international flights to resume.
Belal has claimed the life of one person in the remote tourist paradise, left thousands without power, flooded buildings and caused traffic chaos, with cars washed away by a deluge of water or piled up on streets.
Mauritius Meteorological Services (MMS) had announced early on Tuesday it was raising its cyclone alert to the maximum level four but at 2.10pm local time it said “all cyclone warnings for Mauritius are being waived”.
Belal had already battered the French overseas territory of Reunion, leaving three people dead, according to the latest toll given by Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
The authorities there announced on Tuesday that a red alert had been lifted.
The operator of the international airport in Mauritius announced that flights would resume on Tuesday afternoon after closing on Monday as the cyclone approached, leading to cancellations.
National carrier Air Mauritius said services had resumed but appealed “to all its passengers not to show up at the airport until they have been informed of the timings of their rescheduled flights”.
Tourism is a key contributor to the country’s economy, with visitors wooed by its spectacular white beaches and turquoise waters. More than one million visitors travelled to Mauritius in 2022, according to official figures.
Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth had criticised the
MMS in a televised address to the nation on Monday and announced that its director had resigned.
He also confirmed one fatality, saying a motorcyclist had died in a road accident.
In its update, MMS warned that seas would remain very rough, with waves of up to seven metres in open waters and the possibility of isolated thunderstorms.
“The public is strongly advised to maintain all precautions and not to venture out at sea and along beaches.”
The National Emergency Operations Command also urged the public to remain prudent, particularly in areas at risk of flooding. It said all but one main thoroughfare was now passable, although some roads may be partially flooded or blocked.
Some 10 000 families in different regions of the island were still without power on Tuesday afternoon, according to Thierry Ramasawmy, spokesperson for the Central Electricity Board.
“Everything will be done to restore the electricity supply during the week,” he said.
On the island of Reunion, the death toll rose to three by Tuesday after the discovery of two more bodies, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said.
All three people killed by cyclone Belal were homeless people, Darmanin told the French parliament in Paris. “It is believed that they refused emergency accommodation,” he said.
One of the latest victims was found drowned in a river and the other in a corrugated iron hut.
Belal’s fierce winds on Monday led authorities to order the population of 870 000 to stay indoors. The requirement was lifted on Tuesday. –